Awake Again
by AkaiyukiDaten-shi
Summary: Sabo has been playing around with some magic! Ace and Luffy are getting used to living without their sworn sister, Yuki, who died saving Ace during the War of the Great. They think she died, but what really happened? Who's helping the two of them from the shadows, and what's their motivation?
1. Chapter 1

Night fell on the small island, and the somber pirates had finally set sail. The only light falling on the gentle grassy slopes was given by the crescent moon. The breeze from the sea was warm, and the water sparkled in the dim light.

Walking along the dirt path, the cloaked figure strode up to the smaller of the two graves. This one was adorned with small white flowers and a long katana rested on the top. The person reached out, resting his hand on the inscription.

"_Here lies 'Red Snow' Yuki, a pirate to be remembered."_

"I know," he whispered, "I know you wanted to stay. I will save you."

Pulling his other hand out of a side pocket inside the cloak, he pulled out some dark powder. After sprinkling it on the grave, he chanted a few words quietly and dropped a lit match on to the dark soil in front of the grave.

In a single moment, a bright green fire flared up, engulfing his hand, and then died, just as quickly as it had come. He pulled back his hand wiped the soot off on the long, dark cloak. The fire had no effect on his tanned skin. It hadn't even left a mark, other than the black soot he had rubbed off.

"I shall return tomorrow. We shall see if my efforts bore any fruit." After placing a small, folded paper on the grave, he left as silently as he had come.

* * *

When the sun rose on the small island, the person who had been there the night before returned. Walking leisurely through the tall, sunlit grasses, he stopped to admire some pale blue flowers he hadn't had time to look for the night before.

This time, he was wearing his signature outfit. He had his favorite top hat with blue goggles sitting atop his curly blonde hair, and the dark blue trench coat on top of his white t-shirt. His long black pants and black boots completed the look and gave it a mysterious feeling.

The man felt he should dress so that he would be recognized, for their first meeting in so long. His signature hat would give him away, if the other person hadn't seen the note that he had left carefully on the grave. That person should have.

When he arrived at the grave site, he was pleased to see that she was already there and not the worse for wear. Her blue hair was roughly the same length as he had seen it last, and her eyes... they were bright red.

"Yo. I thought your eyes would stay their original color," he said, grinning at her. "It's been a long time since I've seen you last. Glad you're okay, now." He walked closer to her and looked her up and down, satisfied.

"You... you're Sabo! You're supposed to be dead," she said, surprised.

"Well, as you can see, I'm not. And as you can also see, neither are you. Not for now, anyways. I've brought you back," Sabo replied happily. He was startled to see her glaring at him with such anger.

"I didn't need to come back! It was fine as I left it, now you have to go and make me some unnatural thing who has already died once," she muttered angrily. Her hands were balled up into fists and he could see she was stressed out.

"Wait, wait, it's okay! Calm down, you look almost the same as before. You did notice that you no longer have a hole in your abdomen, right?" Sabo asked, trying to make her calm down. "I did it partly for you, but also partly for me. I couldn't go to Marineford to save Ace, and I knew ace would've sacrificed himself in a heartbeat. I was worried about the three of you, but glad that you were all still alive."

"I can't let them see me. I just want to make them smile, but I can't let them see me. I am a freak of nature, something that shouldn't walk the earth. I'm dead, yet alive. How do you think they would react after seeing me die?" she ranted, pacing about the area.

"Calm down, I'm sure Luffy and Ace would be fine with it. In fact, they'd probably be so happy that you're alive. I am, you know," Sabo said, grinning at her. When she glared at him, he gave up on that attempt.

"Look, Luffy already has someone who's died with him. Brook, who died from some major wounds after a battle, is with him and he doesn't mind. What makes you think he would mind you?" he asked quietly, but firmly.

"Because I never ate a devil's fruit with that ability. He would know that, I changed into a cat before his very eyes. Now I've even lost my previous power, and if I want it back I'll have to go search for that damned fruit again." She paused for a moment, considering the pros and cons of it.

"I don't, it just causes trouble. I can finally go swimming again."

He laughed, leaning over to hug his friend. "I can see you still kept your sense of humor, Yuki. I agree that it would be best if you not eat another devil's fruit. The state you are in now has enough weaknesses to last you a lifetime of suffering."

"You're kidding me, right? I was only half joking. Anyways, which are my biggest weaknesses, exactly?" Yuki asked, looking slightly puzzled. "I know the whole thing about swords and guns, but what else?"

"Sunlight, certain types of food, mostly normal things." Sabo didn't offer more info, not being completely sure. He had only done this once before, and he was told that results varied often.

"Why sunlight?"

"Because your skin is so pale, you were more susceptible to sun when you were alive previously. Now, since you were dead, you can't heal as quickly as before. Slowed healing is a given with most reviving. For Luffy's crew mate, since he's only bones, milk does the trick," Sabo explained, matter-of-factly.

"Oh, I guess it makes sense. How did you heal up the hole in my abdomen, though? I thought that would never heal, even if I had lived slightly longer. All of my internal organs were almost completely destroyed," she asked slowly.

"... that is something I can't reveal yet. I really am sorry, but I just can't."

Yuki nodded, understanding his reason. "I suppose even I have secrets to keep from my important people, like not letting Ace and Luffy know about my existence." She sat on the her grave, and Sabo followed her.

"Thanks for being reasonable."

She smiled sadly, her eyes duller than he had ever seen them. She looked as if she had no life left, what with her self-imposed rule to not contact her brothers. Sabo knew that she would suffer for as long as she lived, and felt guilty for reviving her.

"Would it be enough to tell you that I need you?" he said silently, looking down at his feet. He hoped her answer wouldn't be a venomous comment like she had for him before. It had made his heart fill with sorrow and anger, but for only a moment.

"... yeah. I need someone who I can be normal with, anyways. If I couldn't even do that, I'd probably go on a rampage at Marineford and end up getting myself killed again. I guess I really am happy that you're not dead," Yuki said, slowly.

"I'm glad I could revive you," Sabo replied, happily. He picked up the note he had left on her grave, and packed down the disturbed dirt. When she looked at him quizzically, he hurried to explain.

"You don't want someone thinking your grave was robbed and then digging your empty coffin up, right? Anyways, the note is evidence of our meeting, and it might lead those people who would check your grave to think that you might be alive again."

"Oh. Can I take my katana, though?" she asked.

Sabo thought about it for a minute and decided it couldn't do any harm. "Alright," he said while grinning. "Let's take your precious partner with us."

"You know that he is," she laughed, joking with him. It felt natural to be with a friend, and it had been so long since she had last seen this sworn brother of hers, she needed to catch up.

"How about we go back to my ship and head to Baltigo?" Sabo asked.

"Baltigo? Isn't that some winter island?" Yuki asked in return, wondering why he had any interest in it. As it turned out, she would be glad for _any_ place to stay, it didn't matter where. She just hoped that she would never meet another one of her crew mates again.

"Um..." Sabo trailed off, thinking on how to explain his situation to her. "I was saved by the revolutionaries right before I was about to give up hope. Their leader decided to let me stay on as a navigator and apprentice to some of the higher-ups."

"So... Baltigo is where Luffy's dad is?" she asked hesitantly. Sabo nodded, relaxed once again. She understood what he meant, and that was good. "But wouldn't it be the opposite of what we want? I mean, I don't necessarily want others to know about my new status, what with being alive and all."

"They know, at least a small portion of them do, what I've been working on for the past five years. Resurrection. I have resurrected one person before, and they've healed to the point where they are the same as before they died. Aging, hair growth, and all that would have come if they hadn't died in the first place."

"Ah," Yuki said, realizing what that meant. "If that's true, then maybe I could become mostly normal again? I mean, I'll always have that scar, and the people who were there would know, but I'd be..." she trailed off.

Sabo smiled warmly, feeling content for the first time since that morning. It was near noon already, and if he wanted to get to Baltigo by the deadline Dragon had set, he would have to leave before even another hour had passed.

"Alright, we have to go. Baltigo is about a three day trip from here, and I have to be there slightly before then." Sabo groaned. "I didn't think it would take this long to finish our talk. Let's go."

Yuki smiled happily, all of her earlier frustration gone. She had a place to go, and it had one of her important people. Through him, and his allies, she would probably be able to assist her other brothers, though she would never see them face-to-face.

She was content.

* * *

"I feel like I'm waiting for something that isn't going to happen," Ace said to Marco. "I really do, like there's some part of my life that's died. I've felt like this since the War of the Great. What do you think?"

"I'm not really sure what you think is missing, but I bet it was that girl who died in your place, 'Red Snow' Yuki. All of us here know that if the chance had come, you would've sacrificed yourself. She was just quicker," Marco replied somberly.

Ace remembered what Mizuki had said about Yuki's last words. A love that he had never returned, right? He hadn't known, he had only been close friends with her. Now she was gone, and he never replied. He hadn't had time.

"I'm guessing there's some secret between the two of you, but I won't ask. I do know that she was your sworn sister, which must mean you two and Luffy were really close. Since you lost her like that, it's understandable that something would feel wrong." Marco was doing his best to explain his thoughts.

"Yeah... I just... I gotta go see her grave again. Once more, to make it feel real. I can't stand this feeling, that it's just a dream. I'll be back in a few days, alright?" Ace said, still unsatisfied.

"Fine, just remember that you still have Luffy, and a family here that needs you," he replied, extending a hand briefly. "Come on back once you feel better. I have a lot of work to do, to protect the islands we've claimed."

"Thank you," Ace said, smiling. He had a place to feel needed, and he had a large family to help out. Once he got back, he would be able to calm down again.

* * *

**This story is a sequel to my other One Piece fan fiction, "A Life for a Life". If you want to know what happened previously, read that one!**

**I need help with filler arc ideas! I plan to have this one longer than its counterpart, "A Life for a Life", so I need a lot more filler arcs! Suggestions are welcome. ^.^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

On their way to Baltigo, Yuki fell into a slight depression. She wouldn't speak to any other person when they stopped at an island briefly, and she always looked sad. Sabo was at his wit's end trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Yuki, are you okay?" he asked finally, too concerned to use any tact. "You look really sad and unhappy, ever since we left. Is it something I did, or what? I really hate seeing you like this, you look so miserable."

"I just can't..." she trailed off quietly. "I can't help but feel horrible when I think of how the others felt when I died. My crew... Mizuki... they all went through some suffering because of me. I can't let myself stand out, but I have to help them. I can't let it happen again, but I'm only one person. One unnatural person."

"I know how they feel. Remember, I knew that you died, too. At first, it was too unbelievable. I couldn't comprehend it. Then, after a while, I realized that I'd have to let you go or revive you. The others would have to go through the grief of losing you, but they'd understand why you did it." Sabo hugged her gently, trying to give some comfort.

"I know they will feel better eventually, but I don't like causing unnecessary pain, to complete strangers as well as to people I care about. Just give me a day or two to get over it, okay? I need time," she replied unhappily.

"I challenge you to feel better in two hours. I know you can do it, are you just gonna let _me_ suffer for longer than I need to? I care about you, too, you know. I'm your brother, after all. Like Luffy, and Ace."

"I... accept your challenge. I'm sorry, give me a little time," Yuki replied strongly. She still hated to lose, and the fact that she was against her sworn brother wouldn't change that fact any. She smiled, and then wandered to the room he had given her.

Closing the door, she sighed in relief. If Sabo hadn't had a horrible time after her death, then maybe the others hadn't either. It gave her hope, and she knew that Sabo was telling the truth. He probably _did_ feel bad because of her current mood.

Turning to face the mirror on the wall, she stared at her own face for a moment. She had known her eyes to be red occasionally, before her death, but they hadn't changed back to green since she had been revived, or so Sabo had seen.

She felt like reflecting on her previous life, and how she could change for the better in whatever time she had left to herself. Pulling out a scrap of paper, Yuki started to list a few of the laws that she had broken constantly.

"Broken rule number one... resisting marines." She thought on it for less than a second before moving on to the next one. She was a pirate, she would always be resisting marines. No changing that.

"Hm... rule number two..." As she thought, she slowly and delicately traced the lines on the wooden table, drawing them on to the paper. "Ah, rule number two is... I'm bored now, time to do something else."

True, Yuki had done so many things to aggravate the World Government and the marines, but she had never done anything outright evil or cruel. Unlike some other pirates, all she and her brothers wanted was freedom. She had that, before, and still.

* * *

When they arrived at Baltigo, Yuki was her cheerful self again. She happily followed Sabo into the large building he led her to, and was excited to meet her brother's father. She had asked Sabo how she should speak to him, and he said to talk normally.

After they reached a large door and knocked, she saw it opened to a study the size of Makino's bar back in Fusha Village. Impressed by the size and sheer number of books that line the walls, Yuki gazed around in admiring silence until Sabo spoke.

"Sir, I've returned with my sister, as I had planned. It went well, as it did last time. Shall I introduce her to you?" Sabo said, bowing slightly. He was smiling, too, and Yuki thought he looked completely comfortable.

Dragon turned around to face the two of them, smiling contentedly. "Indeed, I must hear the full name of this person for myself. What is it? I don't really want to call her 'Red Snow' the entire time she is here."

Sabo's grin became even bigger, and Dragon chuckled. "I believe it's Ichinose D. Yuki, sir. She's never gone by her full name, though, not as long as I've known her. I think that it'd be fine if you just called her 'Yuki', of course."

"Of course. Do you mind if I call you that?" Dragon asked, turning to her. She was happy to likely be of some use, and she had never minded before. Sabo was making things interesting by acting all formal.

"No, I don't mind! I'm glad that I was able to save Luffy and Ace, though the cost was really high for them. Now Sabo revived me, so it's okay. I just can't let those two know I exist still. For them, I can only be memories," she said, explaining her current thoughts.

Dragon looked puzzled. "Why can't you? I'm sure they'd be happy to see you, and I would like my son to be able to have that feeling. Would it be so bad?" he asked her, looking straight in her eyes.

"Not for me, but for them. I would probably be on the marines' most wanted list, and as it were, I died right in front of them. Sure, they would be happy, but I am unnatural and not meant to exist. If I showed up and then got myself killed again, they would go through that pain of losing a sister twice instead of once." It felt like ages ago that she had died, but in reality it was just about five or six days ago.

Dragon saw the thought and reason that went into her thinking, and accepted it as their best decision for the time being. "Alright, then. You can relax for a few days while I get things settled. Right now, what with Whitebeard's death, the world is in unrest."

"So, maybe I can be of some help to you?" she offered, feeling the days of boredom that would ensue sitting around for hours on end. Even the thought gave her a headache.

"I think that could be arranged. Just wait a few days. Ask anyone here if you need anything, or ask Sabo." Dragon smiled at them once more, and then they were ushered out by another person who had a meeting with him.

* * *

When Sabo showed her to the room she was going to stay in, she was content with it, pleased to have a room to herself. It was small, but that didn't matter. It had a bed, a desk with some paper, and a window to look out. She had none of her things, sparring her katana, because she wouldn't have needed them if she were dead.

She flopped down on the bed while Sabo sat on the chair, and she grinned at him, feeling normal again. Looking up at the ceiling, she wondered what adventures her other brothers would go on, and what would happen to Sabo and herself. She had no doubt that she would be sent out on missions for the revolutionaries.

"... Sabo, do you enjoy working with these people? The revolutionaries, I mean. I knew you for a short while, but you wanted to become a navigator, if I recall correctly. This may not be that different, at least you seem to navigate, but I thought you would be a pirate with the others," Yuki asked, curious.

"..." Sabo didn't say anything, though he looked to be deep in thought. She let it be for then, but he knew she would ask again, and would pressure him for an answer. If he left it hanging where it was, he would be interrogated by her sooner or later.

"Alright," he said finally, after a while. "I owe my life to these people, right? I wanted to repay my debt as quickly as possible, at first. I had still wanted to be a pirate. As I had worked with them, my opinions on the people here changed, and I began to wish for a better world, like I did back in Goa Kingdom. No matter where I went, people were always oppressed by the government. "

"And that made you change your mind?" she asked. When he nodded, she was very satisfied with his answer. "Thanks. I won't ask what you've been doing, I know it's probably classified or something, but at least you have a close friend you've known since childhood, right? I can actually do stuff with you, like when we were kids!"

Her last sentence was met with a warm smile, and she finally realized how tired she was. It felt as if she had been running a marathon, and she wondered why. When she asked him why it was, Sabo had an answer ready.

"This happened to the other person I revived, too. I think it's because your body is getting used to being alive again, since you were dead for the better part of three days. It shouldn't affect your activities that much, but when you lay down at the end of a day, you'll feel exhausted." Sabo lightly punched her on the shoulder and then went to the door.

"If you need me, my room is three doors down," he called before leaving. "Knock like we did, and I'll know it's you." Sabo referred to the three knocks with one hand and one knock with two that they had used as a signal when they were little. It meant the person knocking was going to enter the room, so get dressed if you weren't.

"Got it," she said, sighing. "It's been forever, I feel all nostalgic now. I suppose that's better than feeling depressed, though," she added, referring to her earlier depression. He grimaced at that, and shut the door.

As she lay, staring at the window, Yuki wondered how Ace and Luffy were feeling at the time. She didn't know if they were okay, except for the fact that they were alive. Sabo had told her that they showed up for her funeral, and they didn't look too bad, just sad and tired, like she felt occasionally.

All she could do was wait for a chance to help them, right?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter** Three

Hopping off of his small fire-powered boat, Ace finally reached the island he had been looking for. It hadn't changed in the few days that he had spent away. The tall grasses still glowed in the afternoon sun, and the two graves at the other end of the field still stood tall, covered with many flowers.

As he walked closer, he could see his captain's cloak and spear clearly, the size of them making visitors aware of just how tall that monster of a man was. He was one to keep protecting things, even if it cost him. He was the person Ace had called his father.

A sadness welled up inside him, and tears came to his eyes. The only person who he had ever acknowledged as his father died trying to save him. Whitebeard also had so many others whom he cared about, why would one matter enough to die?

Ace shook his head to clear his mind. He knew the answer to that, and he knew that he was loved by his brother, and his family back on Whitebeard's ship. That was the reason for his actions. Those people who had come to save him made him realize that.

Turning to the smaller grave, it was equally adorned with flowers. He moved some that blocked the inscription on it, and sat down on the cool dirt in front of the grave. He had come to see this, and feel the heavy weight of its reality.

Looking around, he noticed that something was missing. He couldn't figure out what, but something had been taken away, since he had been here last. Trying to figure out what it might've been, Ace thought back to Yuki and what he always saw with her.

A sword. A really big one, that she had carried around even as a nine-year-old. She had told him and Sabo that it was given to her by the same person who saved Luffy, and he also stopped the War of the Great. Red Hair Shanks was the person who gave her it.

Ace was angry that it was gone, but he didn't suspect Shanks for taking it. He had commented about the sword the that very captain on the day she died, during the funeral. It surprised Ace, but Shanks had said that he wasn't going to take it back.

To find the sword, he thought, Ace would have to retrace its steps. Or so to speak. The first place he had to go was the Red Hair pirates, to find out what they knew on the sword and those who would take it.

Yuki sat around bored for the better part of a week, playing around with the pad of paper in her room. She had figured out how to fold it into sharp, pointed birds that flew pretty well, and drew little designs on them.

At one point, she had decided to write a short poem, trying to rid herself of the thing that she feared about free time. Boredom.

_Fire is red, and roses are black._

_It dances around, beauty and song._

_When the roses wilt, it goes on._

_But it can never get those roses back._

The next day, she heard some commotion in the hall and left to see what it was about. Yuki was hoping for something interesting, because that poem had taken all the creativity that she felt like using.

There was an argument between two people, one with long black hair and the other with a giraffe hat on. He was one of the revolutionaries here, and she couldn't see the face of the other person.

Deciding to butt in, Yuki stepped into view. "Excuse me, what's wrong?"

When the black-haired person turned around, Yuki knew that it was a mistake to show herself. It was none other than Nico Robin, the most intelligent member of her younger brother's, the Strawhat, crew. Someone that she had wanted to avoid at all costs.

"You're... someone I recognize," Robin said, looking puzzled. "Have we met before now? I think I remember seeing you somewhere."

Yuki blushed, out of nervousness, and tried to cover up. "No, I'm sure we haven't! But it's an honor to meet such a renowned person! And a member of the Strawhat crew, no less. I thank you for the chance to diffuse an argument. Now, what's wrong?"

Robin still tried to identify Yuki, but thankfully, she couldn't remember who. That was surprising to Yuki, but at least it helped her keep her identity hidden. "I have a problem that you might be aware of. Our captain showed himself a few days ago, and now I have two years that I'm not sure what to do with."

"Like I said," the other man snapped, "you could work with us! We'd help you get stronger, like you wanted!" He was adamant about it, like he thought it was easy. "I'm just saying that you might need some help from us!"

Yuki looked to Robin, and she explained. "I've never used the help of others to get stronger. I simply wish to help them, because I share some of my beliefs about the World Government. It's really too bad that all they seem to want to do is train me."

Yuki looked at her and considered the possibilities. "Talk to Dragon, if you haven't already. He's very good at strategics, and he'll know where you're needed most. I think that you have valuable skills that they could use, and it'd be a waste to try to train you with others. Like you said, you aren't used to it."

Robin nodded, smiling. "Thank you, could I hear your name?"

Yuki froze. She hadn't considered the possibility that Robin wanted to hear her name, and that would absolutely make her remember. "I... can't tell you right now. Maybe later? I have some business to attend to."

Robin nodded again, this time looking disappointed. "Thank you anyways, for your help. I shall request an audience with Dragon, and maybe we can talk later?"

Yuki considered it, and agreed. After Robin left, she rushed over to Sabo's room and did the special knock. Sabo opened the door immediately, and she walked in, looking alarmed.

"What?" he asked, concerned.

Yuki shook her head, angry with herself. "I met Nico Robin. She doesn't know who I am yet, but she asked me for my name. I told her that I couldn't at that time, but I might later. Help me! I'm in such a mess."

Sabo sat her down in a chair and ruffled her hair. "Little sis, you cause me so much trouble. We have to tell her sometime, I think she's smart enough to understand your reason for keeping your existence secret."

"You really think so?" she said, looking into his eyes for some sign of doubt. She saw none, and let out a sigh. "So, should we explain first, or tell her my name first? I think the explanation should be first, personally."

"Yeah, I agree." Sabo sat down on his bed, looking tired. "Gah, so many things to do this week. I've got a ton of paperwork, and three missions. One of them requires me to bring you along, too."

"Yay! Finally, I get to go out and do something," Yuki commented, sounding happy. He looked at her, making sure that it wasn't acting. "What?" she asked when she saw his look. He smiled and shook his head.

"Just messing with ya. You know I'm allowed to, as your older brother," he replied, teasing her. "So watch your step. I brought you back, I'm responsible for you."

Yuki nodded and left the room. When she reached her own, she collapsed on the bed and let out a groan. She would have to find out a way to make Robin understand and keep her secret.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

When Yuki was walking around the building for exercise, she met Robin again. As if Robin had something she wanted to tell Yuki, she motioned for the tall girl to come over. When she saw that motion, Yuki knew that there was no escape.

"Hello, Robin," she greeted, smiling slightly. "What is it?"

"Can you tell me your name now? I wish to know it so that I may call out to you on the mission. I've been added to your team. Sabo came and greeted me yesterday, so I already know him," Robin replied happily.

Yuki let out a long sigh and rubbed her temples. "How do I explain, when you'll know who I am almost immediately? Let me explain," she said, and then changed her mind. "No, let me sum up, there's too much to explain."

"You know me, though we've never met. I was a pirate for a long time, and now I'm laying low. I was dead for a few days, and then revived by someone. I can't tell you who. With me so far?" Yuki said, pausing briefly for Robin to soak it in.

"Yes, you are a pirate with a bounty, I know you, and you _were_ dead." Robin thought that it was like Brook, their nakama skeleton.

"Yeah. And no, I'm not like Brook. I've eaten a Devil's Fruit before, but it was a zoan type and allowed me to turn into an animal," Yuki said, expecting those thoughts. "I was revived by a person, and I have certain people who would suffer if I let them know I am alive now. Do you understand the pain that someone could go through because of this?"

Robin nodded slowly, comprehending the complexity of her situation. "And I was one of the people connected to those who would suffer?" she asked, guessing Luffy, who had recently lost a sister.

Yuki sighed and confirmed it. "Yes. I'm am 'Red Snow' Yuki, sworn sister to Luffy, Ace, and Sabo. Ace and Luffy don't know I'm alive, and I'm not planning to let them know. You understand, so I can tell you. Shanks and Vice-Admiral Garp are the two others whom I'm absolutely certain would suffer more if they knew I was alive."

Robin smiled at her new friend, and reassured her. "I promise I won't tell. I know how you're thinking, and I agree. I don't want to put Luffy through any more pain than he has already been through."

"Thank you. You think we can be friends?" Yuki asked.

Robin laughed, but it wasn't harshly. "I already thought of you as a friend, since that argument where you helped me out. Now I know who you are and have no problems with you. I'm used to these things happening around me."

Relieved, Yuki leaned back against the wall they were standing by. "I see a possible ally out of you, Robin. I need to help Luffy's crew somehow, but I wasn't going to be able to contact them. It would've been so much trouble without inside help."

"Oh, so that's what you were planning to do," Robin replied, realizing Yuki's intention to assist Luffy and the others in any way possible. "You want to help us out, right? What do you think you want to do, mainly?"

"I just want to see them smile. Ace, Luffy, and their nakama. Little things, like extra meat for Ace and Luffy, and good selections of food for their crew's cooks. Also, Luffy wears out his clothing quickly. I can get new ones made at regular intervals, as long as I can find fabric and some sewing materials."

"If you want, I can teach you about archeology," Robin offered. The idea occurred to Yuki before, but she didn't have time earlier. "I know I may not look it, but I have been researching into _that_ time since I was little."

"It might be nice... I think I'd like that," Yuki replied cheerfully. "Alright, I've gotta go back to my room. I'll speak to you later, then."

* * *

Ace didn't waste any time looking for the Red Hair pirates. He went back to his own nakama and asked Marco where they were likely to be. Since Marco had been with the Whitebeard pirates much longer than Ace had, Ace assumed that he knew those sorts of things, since Shanks and Whitebeard had been both friends and enemies.

Marco looked confused, but responded to Ace's question. "I'm not sure, because those pirates move around so much, but they should be on this island in the New World," he said, pointing at an island on a map. "I think it's a summer island, but there's a town that's friendly, and you can get some food there."

Ace nodded gratefully, and sat down for a minute. "Thanks, Marco."

Marco looked carefully at his friend, trying to figure out what was bothering him. He didn't know what had happened, but something was definitely bothering him. "Why do you want to see the Red Hair pirates?"

"Yuki's katana is missing, and I need information on it. I don't think they took it, but they're the ones who are most likely to know about it. Shanks is a swordsman, both from what I've seen and what Luffy's told me," Ace explained.

Little licks of flame were coming out from his shoulders and head, and Marco was surprised. He hadn't seen this happen before, but it must mean that he was really upset, in some way or another.

"Ace, be careful with that fire of yours. It's coming out, and I'm sure you don't want to burn down the ship," Marco called as Ace walked away. He looked back at Marco, surprise on his face, but then took a deep breath and calmed down.

"Thanks, Marco."

* * *

Yuki stared up at the ceiling again, lying on her soft, warm bed. She had done a lot of thinking recently, and found that she missed everyone more than she cared to admit. Her crew was probably getting along fine without her, but still, she missed them.

Sabo and Robin were the only people on the island whom she considered friends, even though she had plenty of acquaintances. It was nice having polite conversation about your background when she hadn't died. After, not so much.

Everyone was curious to know what the afterlife was like. Yuki hated to disappoint them all, but she had forgotten. All she could remember was dying and then waking up in the middle of the night and digging her way through the dirt.

She was thankful that they had dug a shallow grave, because that made it easier to get out of. Yuki was still fuzzy on what she had done until morning, because it didn't seem like she would do anything other than sleep. She had been very tired after.

Pulling herself out of the window, she discovered that it was sunny outside, and it hadn't been an hour ago, when she was talking to Robin. Wondering about the changes in the weather, she went back into her thoughts.

Then there was a knock on her door, and it wasn't Sabo's knock. She was curious, and so she got up and wandered over and opened it. Outside was a person she hadn't expected to see so soon.

Robin had a note addressed to her. It was from Dragon.

"We have our first mission," she said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Sitting at a bar in Water 7, the floating island famous for its shipwrights and the giant tsunami that happens once a year, Yuki, Sabo, and Robin were discussing their current mission. Sabo hadn't offered any information until they reached the watery island.

Robin ordered for the three of them and looked at her hands, pensive. She had left the Straw Hat pirates there, to be captured by the CP9. It made her remember how happy she had been when they saved her from Enies Lobby.

"So, where are we going, Sabo?" Yuki asked her friend.

Sabo grinned. "A place Robin's been before, and probably you, too. We're going to Alabasta Kingdom. Our mission is to check how things stand around there, and work on ways to find and help the people Yuki wants to."

"So, this is information gathering? I'm glad, I was worried about what we might be put to do. I couldn't do anything that'd go against my captain's wishes," Robin replied in relief. "I get to meet Princess Vivi on friendly terms, now."

"Well... it's not like Dragon said to stay away," Sabo said hesitantly. "I guess it's fine to visit friends or acquaintances. It won't really do any harm, and Vivi might be able to help us disguise Yuki."

"I don't know," Yuki muttered, half to herself. "She was once a nakama of Luffy's, and she would probably want to tell him... but could she? Even _I_ don't know where he went, even though our spy circle is so... extensive."

Robin looked concerned for a moment, then relaxed again. "Don't worry, Yuki. It will be two years before Luffy is seen again, if he's serious. I doubt anyone could find him while Raleigh and Jinbe are protecting him," she comforted the pale girl.

Yuki nodded, relaxing on her bar stool. The three companions sipped their icy drinks peacefully, not uttering another word until after they had left the shabby bar. They could never be sure who might have been listening in.

* * *

When the three of them arrived in Alabasta, they managed not to stand out, despite Yuki's bright blue hair and red eyes. She had covered her head with a scarf, as it was common in the area, to prevent dust and sand from being swept into her eyes by the strong winds there were.

Sabo, in fact, was the one who stood out the most. He had refused to put away his favorite hat with the goggles on it, and he had no sense of fashion or even coordination with his clothing. Yuki took one look at him and sent him back into the store to get different ones for himself.

"Alright, do I look better?" Sabo asked, walking out of the building. He was wearing a cream and light blue vest with a cream blouse underneath. He had on the long black pair of pants he was wearing earlier, but they went nicely.

"Everything but the hat. It doesn't really fit," Robin commented, chuckling lightly.

"Sabo! You're really gonna wear it the entire time, aren't you?" Yuki replied shortly.

"Of course. I heard that when Ace came here to meet up with Luffy, he never took his hat off. It let people know who he was, though I have no wanted poster. It's a matter of pride, you know. I've worn this hat as often as possible, and I'm not gonna stop just to fit in."

"But you're doing an infiltration mission!" Yuki whispered angrily.

She and Robin watched as Sabo's eyes widened, full of surprise and shock. "Are you serious?! I forgot that! Oh, I'm sorry, guys," he exclaimed in shock. "Okay, I'll take it off right now. I'm surprised I didn't get us too much notice already."

Yuki glanced around. A few people had stopped to look at the three of them . "You kind of did, Sabo. Let's go, before we draw anymore notice," she muttered. The others nodded, and walked towards the edge of the town.

* * *

Crossing the desert was the problem. It always was, for any traveler, and was no easier for the small group currently crossing. The sands were full of poisonous, dangerous, and otherwise strange creatures and plants to avoid. The locals always avoided going into the wide desert unless absolutely necessary.

"Sabo, would poison be particularly bad for me?" Yuki asked. She still had no idea what the true limitations of her body were. The sun was already a problem, and she had to wear a deep-hooded cloak just to avoid the worst of it.

"Not anymore than a regular person, I'd assume. Needless to say, it'd be very bad to get poisoned. Try to avoid it, will you?" Sabo replied. "I can't really be held responsible for your idiocy, Yuki. You would always eat anything when you were a kid, I sure hope that's changed."

She glared at Sabo, crossing her arms and pouting. "Geez, I'm not a little kid anymore. That was when I was younger! It's been so many years since then, of course I'd have a bit more common sense by now!" she snapped, irritated.

Robin, who had been watching the two of them with amusement, laughed quietly and smiled. The desert had been quiet for a while now, and the only things they saw were an occasional lizard or rock. The travelers didn't have much problem until they reached a rocky outcrop about halfway to their destination.

Two large plants burst out of the sand, their roots were whips, aiming at the head of Sabo. He merely glanced at Yuki, completely calm while she unsheathed her katana from her belt. Before the roots got within three feet of the man, they were plant scraps on the hot sand.

"Sabo, what if I was too rusty? You could've gotten hurt," Yuki protested.

"I've seen you practicing. You're nearly up to the level where you could rival your teacher. You're no where near 'rusty'," Sabo replied quietly. He stared at her for a while, but ended up looking away first.

"I wasn't worried," Robin commented, "because you're good enough to protect my captain, I would trust you with my life. I still feel unhappy about the fact that I have no idea where my captain is."

"Oh... yeah, you mentioned something about Luffy meeting you in two years. What, is he training or something?" Yuki asked, glancing around in case there were more plants. "If he is, how can I help him from the shadows like a mafioso?"

"Well, you could go and protect Thousand Sunny, our ship. I have to work to increase my powers and master them," Robin replied. "I hope the marines haven't taken Sunny into their custody. If they have, it will be harder to set out once we meet up."

"I don't think that Shaki would let them. She has some seriously strong friends, and she said that she was Luffy's fan. I visited her recently," Sabo added, joining in on their conversation.

Yuki shrugged. "I don't think I've met her. Anyways, let's get going. I wanna get to the river by nightfall, and if we don't, we may run out of water."

They nodded and continued on silently.

* * *

**I apologize on how long it took to update this!**

**I had a HUGE writer's block.**

**Hopefully, I'll get more updates in this month.**


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